Da'Vine Joy Randolph Shares Lessons from Mom, Aunts and Teachers as She Wins at 2024 Critics Choice Awards

The 2024 Critics Choice Awards have revealed this year’s pick for best supporting actress in a movie.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph won the award for her role as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers, continuing her award streak from the 2024 Golden Globes. In her speech, she opted to take some time to thank the powerful women who helped her get to where she is today.

"To play a woman that is so many things, to see themselves as a gift ... I want to have a moment to thank the incredible woman in my life who have made me the artist I am today," she said onstage.

"I thank my mother for teaching me that hard work and tenacity pays off," she continued. "My Aunt Shirley for teaching me how to be fabulous... My Aunt Gwenny for teaching me how to tell the perfect joke. Thank you to the teachers who have guided me through the years, and especially the women in the industry that have fiercely supported me. Thank you so much!"

Other actresses in contention for the award were Emily Blunt for Oppenheimer, Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple, America Ferrera for Barbie, Jodie Foster for Nyad and Julianne Moore for May December.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

With a Golden Globe in tow, Randolph, 37, continues to receive her flowers for her work as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers. A cook and grieving mother working at the Barton Academy, Mary is one of just a few to stay at the New England boarding school during the holiday season. Opposite fellow nominees Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa, Randolph delivers one of the year’s most acclaimed performances. 

“I’m grateful,” she said of this career moment. “Every time I think I'm in control and trying to do something, it doesn't work. There's nothing on my résumé that I went after. Nothing… Life is life-ing, and it’s like, ‘Nope, you're not going to be in control.’ "

She continued, “I’m just hands off. I'm now like, ‘Okay, let's go. Wherever you see me next.’ When [The Holdovers] came to me, I was like, ‘Okay, this is where we're going next.’”

That, added Randolph, is her advice for fellow aspiring artists. “Just keep going and keep exploring,” she said. “Because it's going to find you.”

The Only Murders in the Building actress is a first-time nominee at the Critics Choice Awards. The Holdovers has eight nominations total, including best picture, best actor for Giamatti and best young actor/actress for Sessa.

See PEOPLE's full coverage of the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards as they're broadcasting live from Barkar Hangar in Santa Monica on The CW.